Goastate of India. Comprising , comprising a mainland district on the country’s western southwestern coast and an offshore island, ; it is located about 250 miles (400 kilometreskm) south of Mumbai (Bombay. It ). One of India’s smallest states, it is bounded by the states of Mahārāshtra Maharashtra on the north and Karnātaka Karnataka on the east and south and by the Arabian Sea on the west. The total area is 1,429 square miles (3,702 square kilometres). The capital is Panaji (Panjim), on the north-central coast of the mainland district. Formerly a Portuguese possession, it was annexed by became a part of India in 1962 and attained statehood in 1987. Physical and human geographyGoa, with a coastline of 65 miles, is hilly and includes a portion of the Western Ghāts rising Area 1,429 square miles (3,702 square km). Pop. (2008 est.) 1,628,000.

Land

Relief and drainage

Sandy beaches, estuaries, and promontories characterize the 65-mile (105-km) coastline of mainland Goa. In the interior region, low, forested plateaus merge with the wooded slopes of the Western Ghats, which rise to nearly 4,000 feet (1,220 metres) on the eastern edge of the state. The two largest rivers are the

Mandāvi

Mandavi and

Zuari

the Zuvari, between the mouths of which lies the island of Goa (Ilhas). The island is triangular, the apex (called the cape) being a rocky headland separating the harbour of Goa into two anchorages.

There are three principal cities in Goa: Marmagao (Mormugão), Madgaon (Margao), and Panaji (Nova Goa). Old Goa is, for the most part, a city of ruins. Panaji,

Climate

Goa’s climate is equable, with high temperatures generally in the 80s F (30s C) and low temperatures in the 70s F (20s C) throughout the year. A southwest monsoon blows between June and September. The state receives about 115 inches (3,000 mm) of rainfall annually, most occurring during the monsoon season.

People

Population composition

The Portuguese colonial heritage and the diverse local population of Goa have cultivated a unique cultural landscape. The population is primarily a mixture of Christians and Hindus: the western coastland and estuaries are dotted with wayside crosses and Roman Catholic churches, while the hilly east is scattered with Hindu temples and shrines. There is also a notable Muslim population in Goa, as well as smaller communities of Jains, Sikhs, and practitioners of local religions. Portuguese was once the language of the administration and the elite, and as part of that legacy, many Goans bear Portuguese personal names and surnames. Today, however, most Goans tend to speak Konkani, Marathi, or English.

Settlement patterns and demographic trends

Old Goa, on the island of Goa, was once the hub of the region, but the city was decimated by war and disease in the 18th century; for the most part, only its ruins remain. Since the mid-20th century, however, efforts have been made to preserve Old Goa. Among the city’s most notable landmarks are the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which enshrines the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, and the Se Cathedral, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. Both were built in the 16th century, and, with several other churches of Goa, they were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

There are three principal cities in contemporary Goa: Panaji (Panjim), Marmagao (Mormugão), and Madgaon (Margão). Panaji was originally a suburb of Old Goa

, is built (like the parent city)

. Like its parent city, Panaji was built on the left bank of the

Mandāvi

Mandavi estuary.

It is

Now a

modern

busy port

and

city, it contains the archbishop’s palace

and

, the government house,

a teachers’ training college, and several secondary and primary schools. Goa University is located at Bambolim, near Panaji.

and many markets. Marmagao, sheltered by a promontory and outfitted with a

modern

breakwater and quay, is one of the

best port

major ports between

Bombay

Mumbai and

Calicut (Kozhikode). A railway connects it with the main southern line by way of Castle Rock (in Karnātaka) on the Western Ghāts.Goa is predominantly agricultural, with rice, fruits

Kozhikode (Calicut; in the state of Kerala). It specializes in the shipment of iron ore and manganese. As Marmagao developed, so too did nearby Madgaon, with its industrial estate, cold-storage facilities, and large produce market.

Over the course of Goa’s history, Portuguese rule and fluctuating economic conditions caused emigration on a large scale. Many Goans have moved not only to other parts of India but also to the former Portuguese colonies on the eastern coast of Africa.

, and sugarcane among the leading crops. Principal forest products include teak and bamboo. The state has an active fisheries industry along its coast, although sustainability has been a growing concern in the 21st century. The state exports a number of

these commodities, along with spices, manganese and iron ores, bauxite, fish, and salt; its trade is small but its manufacturers produce fertilizers, sugar, textiles, chemicals, iron pellets, and pharmaceuticals. The tourist industry developed rapidly in the late 20th century.

The Goan population is a mixture of Christian and Hindu. In the past the Christians generally spoke Portuguese but now tend to speak English and Koṅkaṇī. The Hindus speak Koṅkaṇī and Marāṭhī. Economic conditions in Goa have caused emigration on a large scale, mainly to the eastern coast of Africa but also to other parts of India. Large Goanese colonies have consequently been formed in Bombay, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, and elsewhere. Many Goanese bear Portuguese names as a result of intermarriage between early Portuguese settlers and the local inhabitants.

The governor of Goa, appointed by the president for a five-year term, administers also the union territories of Dādra and Nagar Haveli and Damān and Diu. The Legislative Assembly (Vidhān Sabhā) comprises 40 seats.

its agricultural commodities.

Resources

Goa is rich in minerals. Mining began in the mid-20th century, and over the next few decades it emerged as a central component of the state’s economy. Iron ore, manganese, and bauxite are among the primary products of the industry. Especially since the late 20th century, however, the adverse environmental impact of opencast mining has prompted heated controversy and intermittent government-mandated moratoria on production. Although new environmental regulations were put into place in the early 21st century, mining remains a sensitive issue.

Manufacturing

Since the late 20th century, government policies and concessions have promoted Goa’s rapid industrialization, particularly through the development of many industrial estates. Fertilizer, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, iron products, and processed sugar are among the leading large-scale industries. There also are medium- and small-scale industries, including traditional handicrafts. Goa’s manufactures are distributed both domestically and abroad.

Services

The service sector of Goa’s economy has increased in importance since the late 20th century. This is attributable largely to the rapid growth of the tourism industry. By the early 21st century, tourism constituted a significant segment of Goa’s economy, as the state’s long, sandy beaches, coastal vegetation, coconut palms, and unique hotels attracted large numbers of international and domestic visitors. The expansion of tourism, however, has raised concerns about preservation of the natural environment.

Transportation

Goa is well connected to the rest of India—and the world—by road, rail, sea, and air. In Panaji there is a large bus terminal that adjoins the station on the Konkan railway. Completed in 1998, the Konkan railway runs along India’s western coast from west-central Maharashtra to southern Karnataka, where it links with the country’s southern railway. Another rail line connects the state’s primary port at Marmagao (via Madgaon) with the country’s southwestern rail system by way of Castle Rock (in Karnataka) in the Western Ghats. There is an international airport at Dabolim, near Panaji.

Government and society

Constitutional framework

The structure of Goa’s government, like that of most other Indian states, is defined by the national constitution of 1950. The governor is appointed by the president of India for a five-year term. In addition to governing Goa, the governor administers the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Assisting the governor is the Council of Ministers, which is headed by a chief minister and is responsible to the elected Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).

Education

Educational and training institutes range from primary schools to technical and collegiate institutions. Goa University (1985), one of India’s premier postsecondary institutions, is located at Bambolim, near Panaji. The National Institute of Oceanography (1966), which is famous for its oceanographic research and for its expeditions to Antarctica, is located at Dona Paula, on the far western tip of Goa Island.

History

The ancient Hindu city of Goa, of which hardly a fragment of which survives, was built at the southernmost point of the island , and it of Goa. The city was famous in early Hindu legend and history. In ; in the PurāṇaPuranas and certain various inscriptions, its name appears as Gove, Govapuri, and Gomant. The medieval Arabian geographers knew it as Sindabur, or Sandābūr, and the Portuguese as called it Velha Goa. It was ruled by the Kadamba dynasty from the 2nd century ADCEto 1312 and by Muslim invaders of the Deccan from 1312 to 1367. It The city was then annexed by the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar and was later conquered by the Bahmanī dynastysultanate, which founded Old Goa on the island in 1440.

With the subdivision of the Bahmanī kingdom after 1482, Goa passed into the power of Yūsuf ʿĀdil KhānKhan, the Muslim king of BijāpurBijapur, who was its ruler when the Portuguese seafarers from Portugal first reached India. The city was attacked in March 1510 by the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque. The city surrendered without a struggle, and Albuquerque entered it in triumph.

Three months later Yusuf Yūsuf ʿĀdil Khān Khan returned with 60,000 troops, forced the passage of the ford, and blockaded the Portuguese in their ships from May to August, when the cessation end of the monsoon season enabled them to put to sea. In November, Albuquerque returned with a larger force and, after overcoming a desperate resistance, recaptured the city, massacred killed all the Muslims, and appointed a Hindu, Timoja, governor of Goa.

Goa was the first territorial possession of the Portuguese in Asia. Albuquerque and his successors left almost untouched the customs and constitutions of the 30 village communities on the island, abolishing only the rite of suttee (sati; the immolation of widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands).

Goa became the capital of the whole Portuguese empire in the eastAsia. It was granted the same civic privileges as Lisbon, reaching the climax of its prosperity between 1575 and 1600. The appearance of the Dutch in Indian waters precipitated the decline of Goa. In 1603 and 1639 the city was blockaded by Dutch fleets, though never captured, and in 1635 it was ravaged by an epidemic. In 1683 a Mughal army saved it from capture by Marāṭhā Maratha raiders, and in 1739 the whole territory was again attacked by the same enemies Marathas and was saved only by the unexpected arrival of a new Portuguese viceroy with a fleet.

The seat of the government was moved to Mormugão (now Marmagao) and in 1759 to Panjim (or New Goa; now Panaji). Cholera epidemics were one of the chief reasons for the migration of the inhabitants from Old Goa to New GoaPanjim. Between 1695 and 1775 the population of Old Goa dwindled from 20,000 to 1,600; and in 1835 the city was inhabited by only a few priests, monks, and nuns.

During the 19th century, major events of importance affecting the settlement were its temporary occupation by the British in 1809 as a result of Napoleon’s the invasion of Portugal by Napoleon I; the governorship (1855–64) of Count de Torres Novas, who inaugurated a great number of improvements; and the military revolts of the second half of the century. The most notable of these the revolts was the revolt that of Sept. 3, 1895, which necessitated the dispatch of an expeditionary force from Portugal. The infante (Portuguese prince) Affonso Henriques, Duke duque de Oporto, accompanied this expedition and exercised governor’s powers from March to May 1896.

After Indian India achieved independence in 1947, it made claims on Goa in 1948 and 1949, and Portugal came under increasing pressure to cede Goa , with and its other possessions in the subcontinent , to India. In mid-1954, Goan nationalists seized the Portuguese enclaves of Dādra Dadra and Nagar Haveli and established a pro-Indian administration. Another crisis occurred in 1955 when satyāgrahisatyagrahis (nonviolent resisters) from India attempted to penetrate the territory of Goa. At first the satyāgrahisatyagrahis were deported; , but later, when large numbers attempted to cross the borders, the Portuguese authorities resorted to force, and casualties were inflictedwhich resulted in many casualties. This led to the severance of diplomatic relations between Portugal and India on Aug. 18, 1955. Tension between India and Portugal the two countries came to a head when on Dec. 18, 1961, when Indian troops supported by naval and air forces invaded and occupied Goa, DamānDaman, and Diu. Portuguese India wasAll three territories were, by constitutional amendment, incorporated into the Indian Union India in 1962. Goa became a state in 1987.